The End of Romance
Lily Meyer
Sylvie Broder, the granddaughter of two Holocaust survivors, leaves an abusive marriage, heads to grad school, and decides to give up romance.... then falls for two very different men. Shades of Sally Rooney in the psychology/politics deep-dives and "smart people behaving badly" plotline. I very much enjoyed, but a cozy romance this is not.
Buy on Bookshop.org ↗If you liked this, try…
The Great Believers
Rebecca Makkai
The AIDS crisis in 1980s Chicago, braided with a mother searching in present-day Paris. Devastating and unforgettable.
★ 5Sandwich
Catherine Newman
Sandwich, by Catherine Newman, describes a family’s week-long vacation in Wellfleet and instantly transported me back. It’s funny, moving, and relatable, much like Newman herself (Aliza and I saw her speak in Boston a few weeks ago.) If you just finished All Fours and aren’t ready to stop thinking/reading about menopause, try Sandwich next.
★ 5Romantic Comedy
Curtis Sittenfeld
An SNL-style writer falls for the pop star hosting the show and refuses to believe it could work. Smart, swoony, very fun.